FC Koln vs Mainz prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-12-09 16:30.
Despite boasting the Bundesliga’s bluntest attack with just ten goals, Cologne narrowly defeated Darmstadt 1-0 last weekend, which in turn lifted them out of the bottom three ahead of this round. Another clash against lowly opponents could be just what the Billy Goats need, as they welcome fellow strugglers Mainz after collecting seven of their paltry nine points against teams beginning the round in the bottom half (W2, D1, L2).
After losing their first three home league games of the campaign, things have improved for Steffen Baumgart’s men (W1, D1, L1), with their only defeat across their last three home league outings a hard-fought 1-0 loss to champions Bayern Munich. Cologne may need to build on their small goal tally to succeed here, as they’ve kept no clean sheets across their last ten home league games, nor the previous five home H2Hs (W1, D3, L1).
The theme of frustratingly tight performances continued for Mainz last weekend as they went down 1-0 to Freiburg, ending a four-game Bundesliga unbeaten run (W1, D3). It’s not all bad news for the embattled side, as the six points earned there account for three-quarters of Mainz’s meagre eight-point haul, perhaps showing green shoots of an upturn for the relegation-threatened club under the caretaker charge of Jan Siewart.
Since Siewart entered the fray as Mainz boss, he has already overseen two clean sheets from his four games at the helm, as many as his predecessor Bo Svensson did across his final 21 games in charge. That improvement has particularly been evident on the road, where they have conceded just once in two trips under the new boss after conceding at least twice in each of their six competitive away games prior.
Players to watch: Davie Selke has scored Cologne’s only two goals across their previous three games, both of which came in the 15-minute period directly following half-time. Mainz’s goal threat could come from midfielder Marco Richter, who has scored their only goal across the last three league games, although that was his only opening goal across his last five scoring appearances.
Hot stat: Cologne and Mainz scored in both halves of a Bundesliga game just once each this season.